It’s a scenario every business owner can picture in their minds: Onboarding a new client, having an amazing kick-off call, going all-in on their new project, and getting so excited and energized about all the ways you can help them out.
Then reality sets in.
How exactly are you going to onboard new clients? How will you organize the massive to-do list? How are you going to keep the project on track to make sure it gets done on time. There’s virtually only one solution breathing down your neck. You need to get organized – and fast.
But where should you start? And how much time, money, and effort will it take? Not as much as you think. The truth is, we all have to start somewhere. As daunting as it may seem, we’re going to walk you through how you can organize your business ASAP, so you feel less overwhelmed and more ready to take on your next amazing challenge!
Watch our new video below, or keep reading to learn how to get your business organized fast.
First, you need to identify your project management style. Do you need every single task for a project laid out, or do you just need milestones? Here’s an example of each:
See the difference?
No matter your project management style, it’s important to identify it now. Why? It will affect how you organize your projects moving forward. You don't want to create a system that includes every single task if you get easily overwhelmed by long to-do lists or know the steps of a process like the back of your hand.
Next, you want to identify the thing(s) that’s overwhelming you the most – or causing the most disruption in your business. Is it your client onboarding process (or lack thereof)? Kicking off a new project? Managing all the small details to get to the finish line?
Whatever your pain points are, simply write them down. It will help get them out of your brain, so you can free up more space to take actionable next steps. Speaking of…
Now, it’s time to choose just one concern you can focus on to kickstart your momentum. Using the client onboarding example, that might look like:
Whatever is most pressing for you, choose to focus on that now.
Now that you’re focused on a single task – and know what you need to do – it’s time to start fleshing that out into a formal process. Remember the project management style you identified in Step 1? That’s where this comes into play.
Write out every single step that you (or your team) will need to complete that task. So if you wrote down a list of everything needed from a client to onboard them, now’s the time to figure out when and how you’ll get that information.
Do you send a checklist via email? How many days before or after your kickoff call do you request that information? Where do you house that information and how can it be accessed? (Psst! Hold tight on these items, because we have more solutions waiting for you in Step 5!)
This step might seem tedious right now, but trust us, it will help immensely. Not only are you developing a process, but you’ll also be able to identify tasks that can easily be delegated, automated, or passed along to future team members.
With all the steps of your (new!) process laid out, it’s time to fine-tune and automate where you can. The great news? Most of your processes can be automated with tools like ClickUp and HoneyBook!
Again, using the client onboarding process example, you can create an entire workflow in HoneyBook. With just a few clicks, clients can schedule their kick-off call, and you can automatically send welcome emails, onboarding templates, requests for information, and anything else you need through HoneyBook. That way, you don’t get lost in a sea of email threads – and their information doesn’t get lost in the process. It’s all in one place!
And, once it’s all created in HoneyBook, it’s there to use over and over again for future clients! No more manual onboarding for you (or them!).
As another example, let’s say you’re trying to formalize a process for projects – everything from timelines, tasks, and details. You can also create a workflow in ClickUp (our go-to project management system) that outlines an entire project from start to finish. And just like in HoneyBook, once it’s created in ClickUp, you can use it over and over again – all with just a few clicks!
Congrats! Now that you have a formalized process for that task, it’s time to rinse and repeat! And with the power of HoneyBook and ClickUp, you’ll continue to save lots of time, money, and energy by improving manual tasks and organizing everything along the way.
Now, we won’t say that you’ll be able to organize your entire business in a single day – and that’s okay! You’re not expected to. But you can easily implement these first few steps to help you get better control of your workload, get things done faster, and minimize your stress.
We know first-hand that organizing your business can be overwhelming – especially when you need it done…yesterday. But that’s what we’re here for!
With our ClickUp and HoneyBook consulting services, you can find a customized solution to learn these systems. Whether you want to do it DIY-style, have it done with you, or have it done for you, we’re ready to help! If you’re not sure what’s right for you, reach out to us and we’ll work together to find the best solution for you and your biz.
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